Madhya Pradesh celebrates its foundation on November 1 every year. The state was recognized within its current political boundaries in 1956, almost a decade after India’s independence. But the regions that constitute the state today have had a glorious past, many of them serving as nerve centers of the Vedic civilization.

The most important name in this list of geographical areas of historical importance is Avantika or as we now know it, Ujjain. Today, the city is synonymous with the Mahakaleshwar temple, one of the twelve jyotirlingas. But Ujjain sits atop several layers of history – literally.

It has been a center of learning the scriptures since time immemorial. Shri Krishna is said to have been a student at Sandipani Ashram. The stories of Shri Krishna at the ashram have been mentioned in the Bhagavat Puran as well as the Harivamsham.

Shri Ram is said to have visited this region during his exile. It is generally believed that he executed the pind daan for his father, Raja Dashrath, on the banks of the Kshipra River, where present-day Ram Ghat is located.

Ujjain has been recognized as a prominent urban settlement since the time the story was attempted. Chalcolithic settlements were discovered around Ujjain and dated to 2000 BCE (before the Common Era). Over time, Avantika is increasingly mentioned as a powerful political and spiritual seat of the evolving civilization.

Avantika was one of the 16 Mahajanpadas – the 16 great kingdoms – which existed around the fourth century BCE. This is the period when Bharat was coming together, so to speak, as the Saraswati-Sindhu civilization was fading away, while the contours of the subcontinent as we know it today were evolving.

With the rise of the Mauryan dynasty, the Avantika region became the western outpost of the Mauryans. Ashoka, the third Mauryan king, is said to have been governor of this region during the reign of his father, King Bindusara. It was during this period that he got married in the present city of Vidisha.

At that time, Ujjain would have been an important trading center on the historic trade route of Dakshinpatha. This road would have connected important political and commercial centers like Varanasi, Nalanda and Mathura to the town of Prathishthan, present-day Paithan in the state of Maharashtra.

Ujjain would also have had links with ancient ports on the west coast of the present-day state of Gujarat, serving as a key transit hub.

Ujjain later came under the control of the Gupta dynasty, who drove out the Sakas, who had come to control the western parts of Bharat. At the height of the Gupta dynasty’s influence, the city, then called Ujjayini, was one of the capitals of the dynasty.

Ujjayini’s literary swan song coincided with this period. Legendary ancient playwrights and poets like Bhartrahari, Bhasa, Kalidasa and Shudraka based some of their most famous works in the city. Virat Katha And Neeti Sataka by Bhartrahari and Mrichchhakatika of Shudraka took place in the city. The epic creation of Kalidasa, Meghdootrecords the wealth and greatness of Ujjayini.

The Parmar dynasty was the last major Hindu dynasty to control the city. It was during their time that the foundations of the modern city were laid, although the Parmar kings preferred to rule from present-day Dhar.

However, from the 8th century, Ujjain was attacked by invaders from the west. The Umayyads, Mahmud of Ghazni and Iltutmish attacked the city at regular intervals. The Mahakaleshwar temple complex, described from the time of Kalidasa Meghdootwas destroyed by the Iltutmish at the beginning of the 13th century. Eventually the city was ruled by the Mughals but remained an important center of trade and learning.

Having borne the brunt of invasions that began nearly 1,000 years ago and resulted in nearly 500 years of rule by these invaders, it was not until the early 19th century that Ujjain’s former glory began to be restored.

The Scindias made Ujjain their capital for a few years before finally settling in Gwalior. Ranoji Scindia established Ujjain as the capital of Scindia State. The state was part of the Maratha Empire, which territorially controlled most of the country after the Mughals and before British ascendancy. Mahadji Scindia, who consolidated Maratha power in northern India, succeeded Ranoji and continued the development and restoration of Ujjain.

It was during their reign that the Mahakaleshwar temple, including the Shivling himself, has regained his current glory. Today, of course, the Mahakal Lok, a significant cultural and spiritual project designed as a megacorridor over 900 meters long, adds to the grandeur of the temple. The Mahakal Lok was inaugurated in 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In the modern era also, Ujjain has played an important political role. Two chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh – Prakash Chandra Sethi and current chief minister Mohan Yadav – represented the city’s assembly constituencies.

In recent years, Ujjain has seen growing interest in spiritual tourism. With good quality road connectivity to Indore, especially to Indore Airport, which is just an hour away from the city, Ujjain has seen an ever-increasing number of travelers. Shiv Bhakts to visit. An estimated 1.5 crore pilgrims visit the Mahakaleshwar temple every year.

The founding day of the state provides an opportunity for the state government and the intelligentsia to reflect on how to leverage such a rich tapestry of religiosity, spirituality, history and culture for the benefit of not only Ujjain but also the state as a whole.